What are you doing New Years Eve?

LOVE

Zooey Descahnel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Spanakopita Snacks! Spinach never tasted so good!

Spanakopita Cups

These are a variation of the traditional Spanakopita Triangles. I had intended on taking them to my MIL's for Boxing Day but there was so much food left over from Christmas that they were never made. I was also going to make them in mini muffin pans but as we had them for dinner I made them in the Texas muffin pans. They are delicious with a dab of plum sauce!


Ingredients:


1 x Small onion chopped
1 x Pack frozen spinach (if using fresh then you'll need 2 bunches)
1 x Pack feta cheese (crumbled)
1 x Cup cottage cheese
1 x Egg
50g Butter melted
8 Sheets Filo Pastry


Method:


1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Thaw the spinach (in a saucepan or the microwave) and drain as much water out as possible. If using fresh - cut all the white stalk off and shred the spinach. Saute in a pan until quite wilted.
* At this point you can choose to saute your onion to soften it or leave it raw. I leave it raw as it cooks a little in the oven later and has a great little crunch.
3. Combine the spinach, feta cheese, cottage cheese, onion and egg.
4. Lay out 4 of the filo pastry sheets. Using a pastry brush, brush each layer with butter and stack on top of each other. Cut into 4 equal parts.
5. Brush a little butter inside each of the muffin wells of the pan.
6. Place each section of stacked filo into each of the wells. Gently pushing in so there isn't too much overhang outside of the well.
7. Repeat step 4-6 with the other 4 filo sheets and muffin pan.
8. Spoon the spinach mix into the filo cups.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins.
10. When cooked, let sit in the muffin pan for a minute or two, then gently lift out and place on a plate for immediate devouring! Alternatively set on a cooling rack before packing into a container to take on that picnic or to your friends house!

Starry Starry Night ... Starry White Christmas

Starry White Christmas

Ingredients:

500g White Chocolate

1/3 cup Pistachios

1/3 cup Glace Cherries

150g Mini Marshmallows

1/4 Shredded Coconut

Method:

1. In a heatproof bowl melt the chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water. Do not let the bowl sit in the water. Use a metal spoon as a wooden spoon may have too much moisture in it.

2. Roughly chop the Pistachio's. 

3. Cut the Glace Cherries in half.

4. Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

5. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

6. Pour the chocolate mix into the tray and press with the back of a spoon.

7. Refrigerate for a few hours

8. When chilled cut into shapes with a star cookie cutter.

Serve!

Christmas Chocolate Bark - Cranberry and Pistachio

Cranberry and Pistachio Chocolate Bark

INGREDIENTS:

500g Milk or Dark Chocolate

300g White Chocolate

1/2 cup  Pistachios

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries (Craisins)

METHOD:

1. In separate heat proof bowls melt the milk and white chocolates over simmering water. Do not let the bowls touch the water, use a metal spoon to stir the chocolate (wooden spoons may contain moisture)

2. Roughly chop the Cranberries and Pistachios.

3. Line a baking tray with baking paper or foil.

4. Spread the milk chocolate over the tray. Drizzle the white chocolate over the milk chocolate in parts and around the edges.

5. Using a knife or skewer drag the chocolates into each other to create a marble effect.

6. Sprinkle the Cranberries and Pistachio's over the chocolate and lightly press.

7. Refrigerate for at least 1 1/12 hours. Cut or break into thin strips to eat!

Soft Tree Softies ... Intres ... Moments

O ... M ... G. These beautiful trees were found as I searched google for Christmas Trees.

Maria is a Spanish artist who creates these magic works of art and she has an etsy store here.

Her working name 'Intres' means moments in Spanish. If you think the Trees are gorgeous, wait till you see the houses and towers and people and critters!

 

 

These are so beautiful ...

Christmas birds ...

So what can you do with some styrofoam eggs and feathers?